Propulsion of vehicles.



PATENTED OCT. 1, 1907. c. P. 1151.0. PROPULSION 0F VEHICLES.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 13, 1907.

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CHARLES P. DELO, OF SHIPPENVILLE, PENNSYLVANIA.

PROPULSION OF VEHICLES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 1, 1907.

Application filed May 13, 1907. Serial No. 373,441.-

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES P. DELO, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Shippenville, in the county of Clarion and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new,and useful Improvements in Propulsion of Vehicles, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawing.

This invention relates to improvements in the propulsion of vehicles, and the invention has for its object to take the place of a team of horses, traction engine or automobile, and to provide novel means for moving the vehicle irrespective of the character of the surface over which the same is to be moved.

My invention aims to provide a vehicle with positive and reliable means for moving the same with the same rhythm and cadence as a person walking, thus providing means whereby a vehicle can ascend and descend a greater inclination or elevation than a traction engine or automobile, and even upon rougher roads. In this connection, my invention relates to kinematics, insomuch as my improved mechanism can be applied to 'movable bodies or objects other than vehicles. To

this end, I employ a plurality of supporting legs and use novel means in connection with said legs for imparting a step-like motion to the legs.

A vehicle constructed in accordance with my invention is provided with a plurality of legs at each corner of the vehicle body, the legs being arranged and successively operated whereby the body of the vehicle will be normally supported in a horizontal plane with relation to the surface over which it travels.

The detail construction entering into my invention will be hereinafter more fully described and then specifically pointed out in the appended claims, and referring to the drawing forming part of this specification like numerals of reference designate corresponding parts throughout the several views," in which Figure 1 is a plan view of the body of the vehicle constructed in accordance with my invention, Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view of the same, Fig. 3 is an enlarged elevation of one of the mechanisms entering into my invention, Fig. 4 is a vertical sectional view of the same.

To put my invention into practice, I provide a body or support 1 with a plate 2, said plate being secured to the body or support by screws 3 or similar fastening means. The plate 2 is formed with two substantially oval shaped guide grooves 4, and adapted to engage in said grooves are roller pins 5 carried by a triangular or heart-shaped plate 6, said plate upon its upper edge being provided with a pin rack 7. Meshing with the pin rack 7 is a pinion 8 mounted upon the end of a drive shaft 9, said shaft being journaled in the plate 2 and the body 1 intermediately between the grooves 4 of the plate 2, and upon the inner ends of the plate 6.

Pivotally connected, at 10, to the plate 6 is a depending supporting leg 11, said leg passing between grooved guide rollers 12 journaled upon stub shafts 14, carried by the body or support-1.

The pin rack 7 is of a sufficient length to permit of the pins 5 moving to the ends of the grooves 4, consequently when a rotary movement is imparted to the pinion 8 from a suitable source of energy, an oscillatory movement will be imparted to the plate 6.

Assuming that the supporting leg 11 rests upon a surface and a rotary movement is imparted to the pinion 8, said pinion, plate 2 and body 1 would be moved back and forth and raised and lowered. To apply this movement to a vehicle, whereby the supporting legs 11 will perform the function of moving the vehicle in any desired direction, it is essential that a plurality of mechanisms just described be grouped at different points upon a vehicle for supporting the same. This is necessary in order that the vehicle will at all times be supported during its movement, while some of the supporting legs are assuming positions to successively move and support the vehicle.

The application of my invention to a vehicle is illustrated in Figs. land 2 of the drawings, wherein I have provided the inner sides of the body of a vehicle with the plates 2, and the depending supporting legs 11. A

plurality of supporting legs are grouped upon each side of the vehicle, and in order that the drive shafts 9 can be economically driven, I gear said shafts together with sprocket chains 15. A motor 16 is employed for driving said shafts, the armature shaft of said motor serving as one of the shafts 9. The supporting legs have been shown for clearness of illustration in a position which they would not ordinarily occupy in actual practice, as four legs would support the vehicle, while the remainder of the legs would be receding or assuming a positionto successively move and support the vehicle.

From the foregoing description taken in connection with the drawing, it will be observed that I have devised a novel mechanism for supporting and moving bodies over irregular and tortuous surfaces, the rapidity at which the body is moved depending entirely upon the number of supporting legs, their stroke, and the manner in which they are geared together, all of which is controlled by the operator of the machine.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patcut, is:

1. In the propulsion ofvehicles, the combination with the body of a vehicle having a suitable source of energy, of plates carried by said vehicle and having grooves formed therein, pins extending into said grooves, plates carried by said pins, pin racks carried by said plates, pinions meshing with said racks, shafts supporting said pinions and driven by said source of energy, rollers journaled upon the body of said vehicle, and supporting legs conmeeting with the last mentioned plates and passing between said rollers.

2. In the propulsion of vehicles, the combination with the body of the vehicle, grooved plates secured thereto, plates guided by said grooved plates, rollers journaled upon the body of said vehicle, supporting legs passing between said rollers and connecting with the last mentioned plates, and means carried by the body of said vehicle and contacting with the last mentioned plates for 10 moving the same with relation to said grooved plates.

3. The combination with a suitable support, of grooved plates carried thereby, rack plates guided by said grooved plates, driven pinions meshing with the racks of said plates, supporting leg-s carried by said rat-k plates. and means carried by said support. for guiding the mm'onwni of said supporting legs.

ln testimony whereof I ailix my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

CHARLES l. DELO. Witnesses \[AK 11. SnoLovl'rz, SAMUEL PAYNE. 

